Game apparatus comprising master playing board, multiple player pieces and individual player work boards having scoring indicia



June 1965 J. A. SMITH 3 91,938

GAME APPARATUS COMPRISING MASTER PLAYING BOARD, MULTIPLE PLAYER PIECES AND INDIVIDUAL PLAYER WORK BOARDS HAVING SCORING INDIGIA Filed July 24, 1963 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 FIG. I

INVENTOR. JAMES A. SMITH A TTORNE Y 3,191,938 GAME APPARATUS COMPRTSING MASTER FLA!- ING BOARD, MULTTPLE PLAYER PTEKIES AND INDIVIDUAL PLAYER WORK BOARDS HAVENG y CORING liNDi'tIlA James A. Smith, Casabianca, Morocco (500 N. Wilson St, Metairic 26, La.) Filed .luiy 24, 1963, Star. No. 297,337 Ciaims. (Cl. 273-435) Moreparticularly, the invention is an educational type game particularly adapted to be used by'children for increasing their capacity to construct simple sentences and therefore aiding in vocabulary development and grammatical achievement. Indirectly, the playing of the game also aids in teaching the child correct spelling of a variety of words. Additionally, the game offers amusement to the players and embodies a number of component parts which must be manipulated according to definite rules, thereby requiring the close attention of the player, thus aiding in the development of the power of concentration and the ability to follow simple directions. The game is rendered further attractive to children by the use of an interesting color key system employed for the selection by each child of a group of player pieces on a master playing board common to all players and by the subsequent transfer of the game pieces of each player to an individual work board, one such work board being furnished for each player. i

Another feature of the invention and object thereof is to provide a novel and interesting system of scoring which embodies simple numerical indicia on the work boards keyed structurally to the individual player pieces when the latter have been arranged in sentence forming relation on a work board. The player is then enabled by merely glancing at the work board to total his score for a particular play.

Other features of the game reside in the provision of handicaps for children in different age groups and the adaptability of the game toa single player or a number of players up to a maximum often in the preferred embodiment disclosed herein.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent during the course of the following detailed description.

In the accompanying drawings forming a part of this application and in which like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the same,

FIGURE 1 is a plan view of a master playing board and player pieces employed in the invention, FIGURE 2 is a similar view of a spinner device form ing a part of the game apparatus,

FIGURE 3 is a plan view of colored markers used in conjunction with the spinnerof FIGURE 2 in the playing of the game,

FIGURE 4 is a plan view of an individual work board and'player pieces,

, FIGURE 5 is an enlarged central vertical section taken on line 55 of FIGURE 2, FIGURE'6 is an enlarged composite planview of player pieces constructed according to the invention, 'and I United States Patent O 3,191,938 Fatented June 29, 1965,

11 in each column. The blank space 13 above the num bered columns may contain any desirable advertising indicia including the name of the game and the like.

250 player pieces 14 or tiles are provided for playing the game and each player piece is generally rectangular and of a size to fit one rectangular space 11 of the master playing board. Each piece 14 has visibly marked on one side thereof, FIGURE 4, a word 15 of the class easily understood by children in approximately the six-to-ten year age group, although this aspect of the game may be varied and-Words may be chosen to accommodate very young children or older children or even adults, if desired, The opposite side of each player piece 14 is blankor unmarked, as indicated in FIGURE 1. One corner of each player piece 14 is cut away at 116 on preferably a degree angle for a purpose to be described herein. The pieces 14 may be formed of pressed paper, plastics or other suitablematerial.

Initially, the 250 player pieces 14, only some of which are'shown in FIGURE 1 for simplicity, are placed on the master board it) with their blank sides up in scrambled relation and preferably shuflied by pushing them around on the face of the board. The player pieces are then arranged face down on the areas 11 to completely fill the several numbered columns on the master board.

The game apparatus includes 10 individually and differently colored markers 17, FIGURE 3, corresponding to the maximum number of players and thesemarkers are colored on one side only and their reverse sides facing downwardly in FIGURE 3 are uncolored or white and uniform. The markers 17 are placed with their colored faces downwardly and each player draws a marker which gives him a color designation.

A spinner device 18 is provided, FIGURES -2 and 5, embodying a base disc 19, an intermediate spacer disc 20 and a top disc 21 of lesser diameter than the disc 19. A rivet or like element 22 serves to rotatably secure the discs of the spinner device in assembled relation. The top'disc V 21 may have an aperture 23 to facilitate spinning it with the aid of a pencil point or the like. The top disc 21 has ten circumferentially equidistantly spaced pointed color areas 24 with each such area colored to correspond to the coloring of one of the ten markers 17. The peripheral portion of the base disc 19 is divided outwardly of the disc 21 into ten equal segmental areas 25, each bearing a dilferent number 26 including all of the numbers from one to FIGURE 7 is a'vertical section taken on line 77 of FIGURE 6. l v

' In the drawings, wherein for the purpose of illustration is shown a preferred. embodiment of the invention, the numeral 10 designates a master playing board or card which is rectangular and flat and formed of pressed paper, plastics or like suitable material. Only one such board 10 is provided in the game apparatus and this board is common to the several players of the game who may number ten or less, as desired. The faster playing board 19 has the major portion of its area divided visibly into ten inclusive, corresponding to the maximum number of players of the game. The numbers 26 may be applied as numerals to the disc 19 or in word form, as shown in FIG URE 2, and these numbers 26 are notconsecutively ap plied to the disc 19 and are preferably applied in mixed or random fashion, as shown. 7

After the arrangement of the player pieces on the master board it), as described, each player draws a colored maker 1'] from the face down group and thereby receives 'a color designation. One player then spins the disc 21 and when the disc comes to rest, each player takes note of the final position of the color area 24 corresponding to his chosen color designation. The particular number 26 which is adjacent the particular color area 24 after spinning indicates the numbered column on the master board Iii whose twenty-five player pieces 14 are assigned to the player in question. Afterthe useof the colored markers and spinner device in the described manner, each player removes from the master-board It the twentyfive player pieces 14 below his or hernumber designation on the master board. It will be understood that the 250 player pieces 14 exhibit a variety of relatively simple words capable of being used and understood by children in the mentioned age group. However, there are certain words frequently used in sentence construction including the most common verbs, pronouns and adjectives which are duplicated or multiplied a number of times in the total number of game pieces. Many of the less common words including many nouns are included only once in the game pieces to facilitate the construction of a great variety of sentences. The precise selection of words for the game pieces, their variety, number of duplications and the like is a variable in the invention enabling the game to be manufactured to provide great flexibility of use. After shuffiing of all of the player pieces as originally described when placing them on the master board 10, it is obvious that the individual players drawing twenty-five each of the pieces may actually draw twenty-five words which are distinctly different from one another or may include duplicated words in varying degrees. This all adds to the interest of the game and renders it more or less difficult to construct a variety of sentences, consequently leading to a lower score or a higher score.

Each individual player upon receiving his or her twentyfive player pieces in the described manner, receives a work board 27 forming another part of the game apparatus, FIGURE 4. Only one such work board is shown in the drawings but it will be understood that each of the ten players or any lesser number of players employs one of the work boards 27. Each such board is fiat and rectangular as shown and formed of pressed paper, plastics or like material. It is visibly divided on one side into 169 equally sized rectangular spaces 28v having the same size as the spaces 11 and player pieces 14. The spaces 28 are arranged in thirteen symmetrical horizontal and vertical rows, as shown, and each space 28 contains a corner diagonal line 29 defining a triangular area having a visible scoring number 30 therein. The scoring numbers 30 are preferably one, two and three in value and distributed in a random pattern or irregularly throughout the horizontal and vertical columns of spaces 28, FIGURE 4. The scoring numbers are at the upper right hand corners of the spaces 28.

Each player within a predetermined time established by the rules of the game now employs his or her twentyfive player pieces 14 in an effort to construct on the work board 27 as many complete sentences as possible during the allowed time. The time may be varied under the rules in accordance with different age groups of children. The sentences may be constructed on the work board 27- horizontally or vertically in the columns and rows of spaces 28 but not diagonally or from corner-to-corner of the work board. The beginning or ending of a particular sentence can be located at any elevation or at any one vertical column on the board 27 and it is not required that horizontal sentences begin at the left hand side of the board or that vertical sentences necessarily begin at the top of the board. In constructing the sentences, as illustrated by one example in FIGURE 4, the player not only attempts to bring into play the maximum number of his or her twenty-five player pieces for building a maximum number of sentences horizontally or vertically or in both directions, but also endeavors to utilize as many as possible of the higher scoring numbers 30 and as few as possible of the low scoring numbers. All of these variables render the game highly challenging, interesting, amusing and quite educational for children of the intended age group.

The provision of the diagonal corners 16 on the player pieces 14. and the registering diagonal lines 29 in the spaces 28 renders it easy for the child to accurately and neatly place the pieces in the proper locations on the board 27 and the scoring numbers 36 are instantly visible and may be read and totaled at a glance, without necessitating the moving or lifting of the player pieces. If

the child has suificient time during the making of a play, he may be able to improve his score by observing the total of the scoring numbers for his or her sentences on the board 27 and then make some rearrangement of the playing pieces to improve the score. All of these possibilities inherent in the game will be obvious to those skilled in the art without the necessity for further amplification herein.

Within the general boundaries above-described, the rules of the game may be varied to meet particular needs, and it is contemplated supplying printed rules in pamphlet form and a suitable scoring pad, not shown, with each game as the same is sold on the market. A complete game or a complete score may, if desired, be considered to be the end of One complete play as indicated by way of example in FIGURE 4, during a specified time to complete the play. On the other hand, the complete game and score may be considered to be at the end of a specifiedv number of plays, during each of which the same twenty-five player pieces may be employed, or if preferred, the player pieces may be reshufiied and redistributed between plays or between complete games by the use of the master board 10, spinner device and;

colored. markers.

I An additional scoring point may be awarded for each correctly made sentence on each day. tences will be removed from the work board 27 and returned to the player with or without a penalty point as specificed by the rules. One premium point may be awarded for each sentence having more than five words. Various scoring handicaps may be employed at will to compensate for differences in the ages of players. For, final scoring, after the agreed upon time, the words and sentences are counted, the applicable handicaps deducted and premium points added and the winner is declared according to their age group or individually. The game can be played alone or competitively with individuals or partners. If five or less players are using the same, each player may employ two colored markers 17 and play with fifty pieces 14 and two of the work boards 27. It is apparent that quite a variety of interesting schemes .are available with the game.

To add to the educational value, the identical game may be constructed utilizing foreign language words, such as French, German, Italian and the like. In this form, the game will be particularly interesting and instructive to beginner students of foreign languages.

Finally, with reference to FIGURE 4, showing a typical game play and score by an individual player, it will be observed that five correct sentences have been constructed, three of them along horizontal rows on the work board 27 and two other sentences along vertical columns. It will be further noted that several of the words employed are common to the horizontal and vertical sentences, as is permissible under the rules of the game and increases the possibilities for constructing sentences. The players score is easily totaled by adding the numerals adjacent the diagonal lines 29. for each player piece shown on the board in FIGURE 4. To this total will be added a preminum point for each sentence having more than five WOl'dS. which would be four additional points in the example shown, plus one more point for each correctly made sentence or five points. The handicap points are applicable depending upon the relative ages of the players. The rules of scoring may be varied as desired, as previously stated.

As an optional or added feature of the game, rendering it somewhat more flexible and variable, a limited num ber of words shown at 15 in FIGURE 4 may be permanently imprinted on the individual work boards27 various or random spaces 28 thereof. The number of permanently printed words 15 provided on each work board may be varied as can the characters of the words. FIGURE 4 shows a typical example. The additional word 15' provide the players with additional words to Incorrect sen-,

work with for constructing sentences horizontally or vertically on the work boards 27, together with the words which are presented on the player pieces 14. The additional words may have individual scoring values assigned thereto according to the relative difiiculty or case of use thereof in sentence construction. In the typical play illustrated by the player pieces 14 in FIGURE 4, the several words 15' have not been employed in any of the sentences. However, it will be perfectly apparent that sentences may be constructed either horizontally or vertically to utilize one or more of the permanently printed words 15, in conjunction with various words on the pieces 14.

Additionally, the game may be provided with another optional feature to increase its attraction and utility. In this connection, the player pieces 14 or the Word 15 printed thereon may have individual colors to designate parts of speech, such as nouns, pronouncs, verbs, adjectives, etc. The permanently printed words 15' may be colored correspondingly to likewise designate particular parts of speech. This added feature has two important purposes. Firstly, it prefixes the image and meaning of the individual word in the mind of the player, and secondly, it greatly improves the correct formation of sentences by instantly indicating that the sentence is probably grammatically correct or incorrect, as the case may be. This, in turn, increases the educational aspect of the game for children.

The rules and scoring of the game may be adjusted suitably under the scope of the invention to provide for the use or non-use of these optional features as aboveescribed.

It is to be understood that the form of the invention herewith shown and described is to be taken as a preferred example of the same, and that various changes in the shape, size and arrangement of parts may be resorted to, without departing from the spirit of the invention or scope of the subjoined claims.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. A game apparatus comprising a master playing board having a multiplicity of spaces to receive player pieces, said spaces arranged in numbered columns and the total number of columns representing the maximum number of game players, a multiplicity of player pieces each having a word on one face thereof and adapted to be shuffled and arranged face down on the master board and corresponding in number to the total number of spaces on the master board and filling the spaces in the numbered columns after shufiling and arranging of the player pieces, chance control means separate from the master board and operable so that individual players may select and be assigned the player pieces on the master board in one of said columns, a work board for each player of the game and having a multiplicity of player piece re ceiving spaces arranged in horizontal and vertical rows, each said space of each work board having a scoring numeral adjacent a corresponding corner thereof, whereby each player may then construct on the work board sentences along selected horizontal rows and vertical columns of spaces during a predetermined time with the word bearing faces of the player pieces facing upwardly, said scoring numerals adjacent the player pieces utilized on the work board being visible after the sentences are constructed, each player piece having a cut away corner p rtion to facilitate visibly exposing the scoring numerals of the utilized spaces on the work board.

2. The invention as defined by claim 1, and wherein said chance controlled means comprises a colored marker for each player selectable from a group of such markers when the same are arranged with their colored faces down, and a spinner device including a disc bearing numbers corresponding to the numbered columns on said masted board and another disc spinnable relative to the first-named disc and bearing circumferentially spaced colored areas matched with the colors of said markers and adapted for alignment one each with one of the numbers on the first-named disc to thereby indicate to each player holding one of said markers an assigned column of player pieces on said master board.

3. The invention as defined by claim 1, and wherein said spaces of the master board and each work board are rectangular and equally sized and said player pieces conform to the shape and size of said spaces except at their cut away corners.

4. The invention as defined by claim 3, and wherein the master board contains a total of 250 spaces with ten columns each adapted to contain twenty-five of said player pieces, and each work board contains 169 of said spaces arranged in thirteen horizontal rows and thirteen vertical columns.

5. The invention as defined by claim 4, and wherein said scoring numerals of each work board are digits from one to three inclusive arranged in random pattern on the work board in said corner portions of said spaces.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,055,159 9/36 Scofield 273-136 X 2,228,180 1/41 Pauli 273 3,016,243 1/ 6 2 Irwin 273-135 3,116,927 1/64 Kuhlman 273135 'DELBERT B. 'LOWE, Primary Examiner. 

1. A GAME APPARATUS COMPRISING A MASTER PLAYING BOARD HAVING A MULTIPLICITY OF SPACES TO RECEIVE PLAYER PIECES, SAID SPACES ARRANGED IN NUMBERED COLUMNS AND THE TOTAL NUMBER OF COLUMNS REPRESENTING THE MAXIMUM NUMBER OF GAME PLAYERS, A MULTIPLICITY OF PLAYER PIECES EACH HAVING A WORD ON ONE FACE THEREOF AND ADAPTED TO BE SHUFFLED AND ARRANGED FACE DOWN ON THE MASTER BOARD AND CORRESPONDING IN NUMBER TO THE TOTAL NUMBER OF SPACES ON THE MASTER BOARD AND FILLING THE SPACES IN THE NUMBERED COLUMNS AFTER SHUFFLING AND ARRANGING OF THE PLAYER PIECES, CHANC E CONTROL MEANS SEPARATE FROM THE MASTER BOARD AND OPERABLE SO THAT INDIVIDUAL PLAYERS MAY SELECT AND BE ASSIGNED THE PLAYER PIECES ON THE MASTER BOARD IN ONE OF SAID COLUMNS, A WORK BOARD FOR EACH PLAYER OF THE GAME AND HAVING A MULTIPLICITY OF PLAYER PIECE RECEIVING SPACES ARRANGED IN HORIZONTAL AND VERTICAL ROWS EACH SAID SPACE OF EACH WORK BOARD HAVING A SCORING NUMERAL ADJACENT A CORRESPONDING CORNER THEREOF, WHEREBY EACH PLAYER MAY THEN CONSTRUCT ON THE WORK BOARD SENTENCES ALONG SELECTED HORIZONTAL ROWS AND VERTICAL COLUMNS OF SPACES DURING A PREDETERMINED TIME WITH THE WORD BEARING FACES OF THE PLAYER PIECES FACING UPWARDLY, SAID SCORING MATERIAL ADJACENT THE PLAYER PIECES UTILIZED ON THE WORK BOARD BEING VISIBLE AFTER THE SENTENCES ARE CONSTRUCTED, EACH PLAYER PIECE HAVING ACT AWAY CORNER PORTION TO FACILITATE VISIBLY EXPOSING THE SCORING NUMERALS OF THE UTILIZED SPACES ON THE WORK BOARD. 